The Sip with Ryland Adams and Lizze Gordon
Episode: Tasting McDonald’s Secret Menu with Shane!! Pumpkin Spice Edition!
Release Date: September 3, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode is a quintessential, freewheeling “Sip” experience: a blend of pop culture, irreverent humor, and slice-of-life banter, this time with a seasonal twist. Ryland and Lizzie—joined by producer Chris and guest Shane—sift through the latest celeb gossip, parenting woes, and a chaotic taste-test of McDonald’s secret and seasonal menu items, all while celebrating (and complaining about) Labor Day. They tackle everything from McDonald’s pumpkin treats and hackable McFlurries to Taylor Swift engagement chatter, parenting struggles, and social media pet peeves, delivering plenty of laughs and memorable hot takes.
Key Discussion Points & Segments
1. Chaotic Labor Day Energy & Why Holidays Shouldn’t Be on Mondays
[03:11 – 04:12]
- Ryland vents about the inconvenience of U.S. holidays always landing on Mondays:
“Why is every holiday on a Monday?...Put it on a Friday. Let everyone have a long weekend starting Friday!” (03:23, Ryland)
- Lizzie zones out, humorously reimagining “Karma” as “Monday.”
- The pair joke about their “laboring on Labor Day” and office dynamics.
2. Phone Addiction Drag & Friendship Jabs
[05:01 – 05:59]
- Ryland confronts Lizzie about her phone addiction, referencing Lizzie’s husband’s complaints:
“I think you do have a phone addiction.” (05:03, Ryland)
- They joke about their evolving friendship, how texting habits have changed, and being “co-workers” now.
3. Parenting Struggles: Nursery, Preschool, and Dog Drama
[09:15 – 12:30]
- Lizzie shares about Billy’s first days at preschool (he’s in the infant room!):
“He’s drawing. He’s an artiste. He’s got little markers, he’s coloring. And he’s not even one yet!” (09:47, Lizzie)
- Discussion of daycare protocols, early pick-ups, and surprise fees.
- Icky the dog’s ongoing medical misadventures, vet visits, and a brush with “Munchhausen’s by proxy” jokes.
- Joe (Lizzie’s husband) declared he “couldn’t deny himself the love of a French bulldog”—and Lizzie’s now paying for it.
4. Women, Gay Privilege, and Life Struggles
[14:24 – 16:49]
- Ryland and Lizzie banter about “gay privilege” and “what it’s like to be a woman.”
- Lizzie:
“I do get to deal with more...God saves his toughest battles for his strongest warriors. So women out here.” (14:44, Lizzie)
- Ryland:
“What if you’re a woman that’s gay?” (14:52, Ryland)
5. Celebrity Hot Topics: Taylor Swift & Millie Bobby Brown
[41:14 – 46:43]
- Discussion of Taylor Swift’s rumored engagement; Ryland’s skepticism about relationship longevity, now proven wrong:
“I didn’t know that this relationship was going to stand the test of time.” (42:26, Ryland)
- Lizzie:
“He matches her freak and lets her flag fly... He’s not intimidated by a woman who is the most powerful woman in the world.” (42:48, Lizzie)
- Millie Bobby Brown & Jake Bongiovi: Adoption news, internet criticism of Millie, and defending her choices:
“Let her live. She’s 21. Jon Bon Jovi’s son is hot.” (45:01, Lizzie)
“The Internet is shockingly nasty. Let her live.” (45:01, Lizzie)
6. Cardi B’s Ongoing Court Drama
[47:55 – 51:15]
- Recap of Cardi B’s legal issues with a security guard allegedly filming her at the OBGYN.
- Lizzie relays Cardi’s courtroom one-liners:
“We are who we are. It's a wig, bitch.” (49:11, Lizzie retelling Cardi) “Because I was pregnant and I was worried that someone was going to kick my ass.” (50:07, retelling Cardi)
- General consensus: overt sympathy with Cardi, eyeroll at $24 million lawsuit.
7. The Ongoing Saga of “The Summer I Turned Pretty”
[34:35, 52:03 – 53:56]
- Lizzie re-watches the series for emotional “edging”:
“Something about a girl, brothers, just gets me like right at the edge of my seat.” (34:37, Lizzie)
- Theories about “Love Island” as reality TV porn.
- Lizzie’s changing team allegiance (from Jer to Connie); Joe watches with her—and surprisingly weighs in.
8. McDonald’s Secret Menu: Pumpkin Spice Edition
[56:12 – End, especially 58:59 – 74:23]
- The crew Uber Eats and then drives to McDonald’s to try all the pumpkin-flavored/secret items.
- Notable taste tests:
- Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Pie McFlurry hack (“get their pumpkin syrup pumped into a McFlurry” – 59:07)
- Attempt to get McDonald’s to blend in the pie for them (denied—DIY approach instead)
- Review of the new pink (Grimace??) milkshake:
“It tastes like the bubble gum from when you were a kid.” (68:17, Ryland)
- General verdicts:
- Pumpkin Pie McFlurry: “This is incredible. Actually. This is so good.” (72:14, Ryland)
- Pumpkin syrup: “Tastes like farts and chemicals and farts. Chemical farts.” (72:38, Lizzie)
9. Peak Bickering: Phone Calls vs. Phone Addiction
[53:04 – 54:04]
- Ryland calls out Lizzie for phone addiction—while taking three calls himself (“pressing matters at my house”).
- Lizzie:
“You opened the show with giving me shit about being addicted to my phone and constantly checking it and then took three phone calls.” (53:04, Lizzie)
- Ryland:
“I have a pressing matter at my house..." (53:10, Ryland)
10. Food Takes and Final Thoughts
[66:12 – 75:14]
- “I love a crunch in my dessert. Like, I love...pralines and cream.” (74:04, Ryland)
- “Pumpkin Pie McFlurry—best version ever.”
- House buying crisis, economy talk, and the right ice cream-to-pie ratio.
- Closing exhaustion:
“Honestly, this felt like a party and...I'm exhausted from it.” (75:10, Ryland)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “If I give you a chub, leave a tip.” (26:19, Lizzie)
- “Is he the smartest one because he gets hand fed venison? He is living.” (12:08, Lizzie)
- “This is bubblegum-edging, like emotional edging.” (34:44, Lizzie, on “The Summer I Turned Pretty”)
- “Why is it a joke, then? Why is it a joke?” (54:23, Ryland, not getting Lizzie’s McChicken bit)
- “You know, Taylor Swift literally wrote a poem...and pumpkin spice lattes.” (55:14, Lizzie)
- “Ronald McDonald is Pride-coated.” (79:05, Chris)
- “Let her live. She’s 21. Jon Bon Jovi’s son is hot.” (45:01, Lizzie)
- “It tastes like chemical farts.” (72:38, Lizzie)
- “He matches her freak and lets her flag fly.” (42:48, Lizzie, on Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift)
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------|--------------------| | Labor Day Rant / Office Vibe | 03:11 – 04:12 | | Phone Addiction & Friendship Dynamics | 05:01 – 05:59 | | Parenting, Preschool & Pet Chaos | 09:15 – 12:30 | | Gender/Gay Privilege Banter | 14:24 – 16:49 | | Taylor Swift/Engagement Hot Takes | 41:14 – 43:07 | | Millie Bobby Brown & Trad Wife Internet Discourse | 45:01 – 46:43 | | Cardi B Courtroom Story | 47:55 – 51:15 | | “The Summer I Turned Pretty” as Reality TV “Porn” | 34:35; 52:03 – 53:56 | | McDonald’s Pumpkin Spice Taste-Test Adventure | 58:59 – 74:23 | | Pie/McFlurry Hack Reactions | 72:00 – 73:15 | | Show Closing & Aftertaste | 75:05 – End |
Summary & Takeaway
This episode was classic “Sip”: high-energy banter, zero filter, a little chaos, and a lot of fall fun. The taste test showcased true YouTube creativity (McFlurry hack FTW), the pop culture moments were sharp and of-the-moment, and parenting/pet fails anchored their “real life” relatability. Amongst the snark and food-induced delirium, Ryland and Lizzie remain lovable, unfiltered, and hilarious co-hosts who make even a (way too hot) holiday episode feel like a fun hang with friends.
For Pumpkin Snack Hackers: Try the pumpkin pie McFlurry at McDonald’s—just break up their seasonal pie into your McFlurry for the ultimate fall treat.
For Pop Culture Addicts: You’ll get hot takes on Taylor, Millie, Cardi, and whatever’s trending on Labor Day.
For Sip Diehards: All the classic energy, petty squabbles, and “did-they-really-just-say-that?” moments you love.
